We have some close friends that live down the street from us that we car pool with to school every day and the kids are over at their house a couple times a week to play.

And without fail, every single time one or both of the boys will spend at least half an hour trying to do this ball maze puzzle game called Perplexis.

Perplexis takes a great twist on the traditional ball in a maze games where you would tilt and turn a flat two dimensional board trying to coax a small ball around obstacles and brings it into the third dimension. You need to slowly rotate or rock or very very very gently shake the ball to make the little marble inside move further along the track or jump an obstacle.

There are no batteries required, no beeping or flashing or other general annoyances about the game. At first glance it appears to be one giant maze when in fact it’s a bunch of different mazes all in the same ball, and there are multiple marbles in there too so once you master a couple of the mazes you can attempt the impossible and guide multiple metal balls through at the same time.

Of course, since the games are self contained with no exposed choking hazards you could certainly give the Epic version to a 4 year old, just don’t expect them to get very far toward solving it.

Note that your child needs to be old enough to understand that it’s not a ball to avoid breakage. While not totally fragile, it’s not going to survive a toss in the air and a fall onto a tile floor without something breaking. I know many six year old boys who probably would have a hard time controlling the impulse to throw a ball in the air or kick it across the room, so keep that in mind.

I really wish I had this tub when my kids were babies. It is brilliant, because what my babies hated about baths is being laid out on their backs in a traditional baby tub. This bucket design in this European Upright Baby Bath Tub is genius. The baby gets to stay upright, is held with their body in close together which is more comforting for the baby. Also,most of their body can be submerged keeping them warmer then when they are in the cold air and you have pour the water over them.

It is everything you want in a bath toy. Very open with no tiny cracks that will stay wet and get moldy. The act of pouring water into and out of cups is pretty much the greatest thing for younger kids – you would think something simple would get old but it never does!

Balance bikes are the perfect way to introduce kids to bike riding. They don’t have brakes or pedals and are typically sized for kids 2 to 6. They develop the balance skills necessary for riding a bike and they have been shown to be a better way to learn to balance than training wheels on a regular bikes – I know five year olds who went right from their balance bike to a regular bike and skipped the training wheels altogether. The one seen above, the balance bike from Smart Gear is the one The Princess has (only hers is pink).

There is something about standing at a table playing with water that kids love. Every once in a while we make the trek into the Children’s Museum and they have a great room with all sorts of fun things to do with water and soap. There is a bubble making station, a place to make whirlpools, and the like.

If you’re looking for a little cool fun in the summertime, a kids water table might be just the thing. Like it’s close cousin the sand table, you can occupy a toddler for far longer than you would expect by letting them play and pour water around. Combine it with a toy fishing set and some nets and you might be able to have a nice relaxing afternoon in the hammock while the little ones splash.

There are a bunch of options out there for these tables, here are some of the better choices.

The Step2 Kids Water Activity Table is always a good choice. At around $45 it’s got everything you need for some good outdoor fun. Or indoor if you’re very brave and don’t worry about water damage to your floors. There is a tower with a water wheel, cups for pouring, some boats, and different depths to keep your toddler playing for hours.

Step2 also makes the Sand and Water Transportation Table pictured above. For about $10 more than the regular water table, you get two sections to keep the sand and water separate, a little train for transporting water and sand around the table, and three different water wheels for playing and pouring. It certainly has more to do, but if you think FOR A MINUTE that your toddler will be able to resist the urge to mix the sand and water, you are sadly mistaken. But a mud table is even more fun, and kids should be kids so I say go for it.

But if you want the ULTIMATE toddler water play table, you’ll have to look here:

The Little Tykes Sea and Sand Table has it all. Both sand and water with good separation, a selection of cups and water towers and such, and an umbrella to keep the little ones out of the sun while standing at the table for hours. Unlike the smaller tables above, this one has space for four kids to play very comfortably and not get in each others way. Of course, it’s also more expensive than the other two. But if you want to keep your toddler busy while you sit in the sun and read, this is the table for you.

Baby gifts are one of the most difficult gifts to buy. Babies don’t really have opinions about the kinds of toys and clothes they like and they actually don’t need much. It is months before a newborn baby will even notice any of the adorable toys their parents got at the baby shower. For this reason I like to give practical gifts for new parents, things that might make their lives with a tiny baby just a smidge easier.

A changing pad that keeps the baby comfy while being changed and hopefully keeps him or her from rolling off the top. I love these changing pad covers from Summer Infant. They are soft and plushy and, most importantly, machine washable (They will get dirty. You may want to give them in sets of three or four). They have four designs:

They also make some solid color changing pad covers if you think the parents would prefer it to the cartoon animals (we have already established that the baby doesn’t really care – baby gifts are really for the parents).

I am always on the lookout for the coolest nightlights and look what the awesome people at boon made for us?

In addition to its sexy space-age look, the glowing balls can be removed from the base and taken wherever you need a little light (just a little, the word on the street is that the balls off the base are not very bright). Once separated from the base the balls fade after about 30 minutes.

If you leave them on the base they can change color (there is a sliding thing on the base to change the color) or you can have it cycle automatically through all the colors. You can also set it to white (the brightest setting).

As you would expect from a great company like boon, the base and lights are all BPA-free, Phthalate-free and PVC-free. There is nothing electric in the balls (they are just made of a glow-in-the-dark plastic) so they never get hot. I love this for a baby gift for parents who are into design or trying to be gender neutral. It doesn’t have to for a kid’s room – I think it would be great as a hallway or bathroom nightlight. Fun enough for the kids’ rooms and yet interesting enough for grown-up rooms too.

Have you heard of the Vinylmation figures? They are these little (3 inches) vinyl toys inspired by the Disney theme parks and collected by many. I am newly enamored of them, I think they are adorable and I love the element of surprise.

When you order them you get blind box, meaning you don’t know which figure is inside, making collecting them all more challenging. Also, each set has a mystery figure, one that isn’t in the picture of the whole set. I love Vinylmation Muppets, as you know, but the other Disney sets are pretty cute too – perfect for a collector or just a fan of Disney.

We recently saw the new movie, The Muppets (Loved It! Grown-ups and kids alike!). I am really hoping that this movie sparks a craze for all things Muppet.

If you, or someone you love, is crazy for a particular Muppet did you know that you can have you very own plush version? My longtime favorite, Animal, is pictured above. But of course there is also Kermit The Frog

I think what makes the nano so much more fun is the way it moves. Since it’s only method of locomotion is through vibrating, it moves in an unpredictable path. You can buy play sets with paths and ramps for them to move along or race through. There are even glow in the dark “habitat sets.”

We discovered this last year on Christmas morning, when the hex bugs were put in the saucers to keep them from getting lost and because of the concave shape of the sleds they automatically went around and around in circles. Very fun to watch, actually.

Blocks are such a basic toy that I think they get overlooked. But they are, in my humble opinion, the most versatile toy there is and crucial for proper development. If there was a law passes that every baby came home from the hospital with one toy, I would vote for that toy to be blocks. We have a huge basket of wooden blocks and they are, at this very moment, being used as a castle for a couple of princesses and a mermaid. Even in a house with two one year olds and a four year old they get played with all the time.

I do love a good set of plain blocks like the Bag O’Blocks seen above by Ryan’s Room. However, I am awfully tempted by pretty things and there are some lovely sets of blocks.

This 25 piece set of Organeco extra-large, lightweight blocks are just lovely. They are made of bamboo (hence the lightweight part), the artwork is done in water based inks sealed with beeswax. You couldn’t ask for a more lovely or eco-friendly toy.

Haba, one of my favorite toy companies, can be relied upon for lovely block sets. To name just a few there is the Haba fantasy blocks

They are handmade in Michigan from solid basswood. There are 32 blocks in the set and they include all letters, numbers and 32 different animals and their named in french. Perfect for introducing a little french to your little one. Or for building princess castles, whichever.

I adore doll houses. I can’t get enough of them. We have two and I would have more if I could justify the space they take up. I just saw this one, The Tutti-Frutti house by Le Toy Van and I am coveting just a little.

It is wooden, just about two feet tall and comes fully painted and furnished.

Yes, it comes with all the furniture, so it is a perfect play with it right away kind of present. Move in ready, so to speak.

I like that it opens so wide – dollhouses are much easier to play with when there is full access to the inside.

If you are looking for a doll house or just something that will be declared the Best Present Ever, you really can’t go wrong with this sweet tutti-frutti doll house. It doesn’t come with dolls, so you might want to get some to go with it. I love this set of seven bamboo dolls by Hape,

Hello Sven! He is mostly wood and is about 4” tall. Doesn’t he look ready to conquer and pillage?

Le Toy Van (which, by the way, wins for best name of a toy company as far as I’m concerned) also makes a Viking Fort.

It is wooden, with a magnetic winch, a rope ladder, a secret trap door and a large prison door, so you can hold as many pirates captive as possible. (Did I just invent a pirate – viking rivalry? Sorry about that.) It doesn’t come with the figures in the picture, so you will have to order Sven and his buddies to run the place.

Not just toy storage bins, but the most beautiful toy storage bins I have ever seen. And they are organic, did I mention that? Beautiful, organic toy storage. It is like a non-denominational holiday miracle.

They are made by 3 Sprouts, a small company made up of people with serious design street cred, and it shows. There are three different shapes and sizes, the Bin, the Box and the Caddy. The canvas is 100% organic cotton and the felt animals are made from recycled soda bottles.

The fox bin is pictured above, the raccoon bin below, but there are 8 different animals to choose from. The bins are are 17″ by 17″ and they are great for stuffed animals, laundry or dress-up clothes.

The storage box is 13″ by 13″ by 13″. Perfect for LEGOs, cars, little dolls and action figures. Any little thing that you would like to scoop up and put on a shelf.

And then the caddy.

Oh caddy, I think I love you most of all. If you have a 3 or 4 year old you know about their love of putting things in bags and carrying them around the house. The caddy is perfect for anything that will be carried around like books, play food, hair accessories or doll clothes.

I am going to ask you to remember Christmas morning and all the new toys and the feeling you get every year when you look around and wonder where the heck you are going to put all these toys. My advice? Get a bunch of toy storage bins now and be prepared. Or give them as gifts to friends who are going to end up with more toys than they have places to put them. You will be their hero.

I haven’t checked in with our favorite scooters in a while – our Kickboard USA mini-kick scooters are still, years later, in great shape and they see plenty of use. But I happened to notice that they now come in some awesome new colors. The mini-kick scooters are really the best scooter for little kids (2 to 5 year olds) because they have an ingenious turning mechanism that makes them very difficult to tip. When you lean the handles right or left the wheels curve very gently. No sudden turns means far fewer skinned knees and elbows!

Other fun colors include aqua, orange and the original blue. Seriously, I think this is the best scooter you can by for younger kids. Our kids (and all the kids who have ever played at our house) have loved ours and they are in shockingly good shape considering the abuse they have taken over the past 6 (6!) years.

So we ordered the boys Star Wars LEGO advent calendars a while back because they always sell out before October (although you can still get them for the actual price, so they must have made a whole lot more this year or something). But what to get for The Princess who, while she can swing a light saber as well as any older brother, isn’t actually as enamored of Star Wars as they are. I searched for the perfect girly toy based advent calendar and I found it: The Playmobil Unicorn Fairy World advent calendar. Seriously you say? Yes, seriously. Behold the Unicorn Fairy World awesomeness:

It is practically a Double Rainbow in a box right there and she will love it. It comes with 24 little boxes, each containing a Playmobil piece. It also comes with a backdrop that can be played with once all the toys have been open or hung on the wall with the toy boxes attached and ready for opening.

I can’t say enough great things about the How to train your dragon books by Cressida Cowell. They are funny books sure to please any kid interested in dragons or adventure. And since I always like to give books and toys together, they make perfect gifts. There are a bunch of playsets that go along with the How to train your dragon movie.

It is only 5 inches tall and it talks, which would be a deal breaker for me (I have issues) but isn’t a problem for most people. I actually kind of appreciate it when great books are made into movies because then I can count on matching toys to go with the books as presents.

Looking for a little something spooky for Halloween? Have a LEGO obsessed kid with an October birthday? This is a custom set made by Ender’s Ark. They ordered all the pieces directly from LEGO and then put together this charming headless horseman set.

You may not know this about me, but I am always on the lookout for unusual or interesting play food. The princess has spent many, many hours playing with our pretend food collection, starting when she was about 18 months old and still going strong at 4 and a half.

We have a bit of a stuffed animal storage problem at Chez Toy Report. The fluffy overpopulation is reaching problem status. There is a huge wooden chest filled with stuffed animals upstairs, boxes in the attic, an empty duvet cover filled with them downstairs, and all the current favorites on the beds, of course. Now, I would be happy to thin the herd but the boys switch favorite animals all the time and we periodically go on hunts for stuffed teddy bears or bunnies or brown puppies or whatever is needed. They would certainly notice and be distraught if they disappeared forever. I have done extensive research on storing stuffed animals and I have determined that there is only one truly good solution, the Boon Stuffed Animal Bag.

Stuffed Animal Storage AND A Bean Bag

That’s right, you jam all your stuffed animals into this plush and fluffy bag, zip it up and suddenly you have a fun chair and storage spot all in one.

I am dreaming of them as the answers to all my problems. I think the single green one is cute, I may have to acquire one to see just how much of the plush menagerie fits inside.

The genius of these bags is that you end up with functional bean bag type seating in addition to stuffed animal storage. The bags zip open and animals get stuffed inside, but there are see through panels in the bags making it easier to spot a a favorite if needed. Of course, having imaginative kids, there are always some unreal concerns here. There are certain plush animals that really do not belong together. You cannot put the plush manatee and plush seal in the same bag as the stuffed shark, and woe be to the parent who packs the tiger plush together with the plush bears. You may wake up one morning to find a bag full of shredded fluff and stuffing.

Stuffed Animal Storage In All Sizes

Heck, there is even an awesome three section version as well. That looks to be the perfect sized Boon bag for lounging around, but it might take up too much space in most living areas.

My only real concern is that we have three children and I’m not sure I can invest in three separate bags so everyone can have their own. I am tempted by the triple bag, but I’m not sure how if three actual children could sit on it together. It would solve the issue with large stuffed animals fitting in the smaller bag though.

This is absolutely the best stuffed animal storage I have ever seen, and boy are there some terrible options out there. I’ll tell you about the unpleasant alternatives later.

I have a birthday present formula that has really working for me lately. With younger kids it is usually easy to pick out a cool toy, but that gets harder by about second or third grade, when the toys they actually want are more money than I am likely to spend on a present. My formula is this: I like to give a book and something to make. Sometimes craft kits or art supplies, but lately I have been giving paper toys and they have been quite popular.

My favorite is Papertoy Monsters. They aren’t scary or mean, but teach one comes with its own story and description. You cut them out and fold them according to the instructions and then either tape or glue them together. Easy peasy. The nine year olds I have been giving this book to have not had any trouble putting them together.

Now, just in case you have a kid who isn’t such a fan of monsters, I also really like Paper Wonderland. Full of adorable animals, people and things (my favorite is the little toaster – with toast!).

For older kids, you might want to get this book of Paper Automata. This book makes paper models that actually move. When you turn the paper lever the little sheep pictured on the cover actually hop up and down.

Kids love to make things. And here the design work is done, the kids just have to build them. And all kids love to play with paper and tape and glue – it is a universal truth. So if you are looking for an unusual present or something for someone you know is crafty, consider these books of paper toys.